New additive manufacturing technology unveiled by a Silicon Valley startup on Monday draws inspiration from the iconic scene in Terminator 2 in which the villainous T-1000 robot starts off as a puddle of liquid metal before emerging in a fully-formed humanoid shape.

Three-dimensional printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the process of using additives to form solid 3D objects of virtually any shape from a digital model. This is achieved using specially formulated additives, such as plastics, that are formed into successive layers of material typically laid down on a platform in different shapes. 3D printing is uniquely distinct from a more traditional 3D sculpting technique, which relies on the removal of layers (subtractive manufacturing)...

The flip or clamshell is a form factor found mainly in cellphones in the electronics market. There are typically two distinct sections of the device that fold together via a hinge. When the device is open, it is up and ready to be used, and provides more surface area then when closed. When the unit is closed, the interface components such as keys and display are protected and the device is shorter, making for easier to be carried and stored. A disadvantage of the flip unit is the connecting...